LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigeria’s information minister says the airline bomb suspect “sneaked” into Nigeria the day before his botched Christmas Day effort to blow up a plane over Detroit.

Information Minister Dora Akunyili says Nigerian citizen Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab entered his home country on Dec. 24 and left the same day to board a flight to Detroit via Amsterdam. She did not elaborate or say where Abdulmutallab entered Nigeria. She says his father is in deep shock and had expressed great regret.

On Saturday, U.S. officials charged Abdulmutallab with trying to destroy the plane. A conviction on the charge could bring Abdulmutallab up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Nigerian officials said Saturday they were opening their own investigation.